Vise



Oct. 4, 1960 R. J. GAUBERT 2,954,713

VISE

Filed May 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. 28/76 J Gem/barf A TTOR/VE Y5 This invention relates generally to a vise and more particularly to vises suitable for shop and assembly opera- -tions.

For the more exacting shop and assembly requirements, there is a demand for a vise capable of quick and easy operation with minimum manual effort. The conventional screw-type of bench vise is not suitable for-this service, because manipulation is time consuming and inconvenient, and because the clamping forces may vary considerably in consecutive operations.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vise capable of quick and easy operation with minimum manual effort, and which provides predetermined and relatively uniform clamping forces for consecutive operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vise of the lever-operated type in which one lever is used for shifting the movable jaw toward or away from the workpiece, and for work clamping and release operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vise of the above character which eliminates the use of conventional clamping screws, and which also avoids use of toggles or like linkage means.

Further objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which certain embodiments have been set forth in detail in conjunction with I the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a vise incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 22 of Figalre 3.

' Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3 but showing the operating parts in a different position.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure dis a view like Figure 3, but showing another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 is a view like Figure 6 but showing the operating parts in a different position.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 88 of Figure 6.

That embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1-5 consists of a base 1%, which may be in the form of a steel casting. A stationary clamping jaw 11 is formed on one end of the base. Parallel guide rods 12 are carried by the base and serve to support the movable clamping jaw 13. The ends of the guide rods are secured to the stationary jaw 11 and to a raised portion 14 formed on the other end of the base. The jaws are shown provided with removable inserts 16 of hardened metal for engaging and gripping a workpiece.

A housing 17 is formed on the rear side of the movable jaw 13, and serves to enclose certain parts, including cam means and means for releasably gripping the bars 12.

Note that the jaw and the housing are provided with openings 18 and 19 which accommodate the guide rods 12 whereby the movable jaw can be slid toward or away from the stationary jaw to engage or release a workpiece.

openings which loosely accommodate the guide rods 12.

At their rear ends, these openings are of reduced diameter as indicated at 24, whereby the carrier can be tilted through a substantial angle about its rear end. The axis of shaft 22 is at right angles to the axis of the guide rods 12, and is spaced rearwardly a substantial distance from the forward end of the carrier as shown particularly in Figure 3.

The rear face of the carrier 23 is engaged by themcalled grip washers 27. A plurality of these washers are assembled upon each rod. They are formed of hardened metal adapted to readily slide over the rods 12 when positioned with their planes at right angles to the axis of the rod, but effectively gripping the rod when cooked at an angle to the rods as shown in Figure 4. Such grip washers have been used for securing step-by-step motion between various mechanical parts, as for example 'in automotive jacks. Coil springs 28 urge the washers 27 against the carrier 23, and in conjunction with the carrier,

serve normally to retain the washers in a position substantially at right angles to the rods, whereby they are free for sliding movement.

Between the jaw 13 and the cam carrier 23, there is a member 29 forming a thrust surface for engaging the cam '21 and the carrier 23. This surface is at right angles to the axis of the guide rods 12. Member 29 can be in the form of a head on the stud 31, this stud being slidably inserted within the bore 32. Within a counter bore 33 formed in the jaw, I provide spring means which may be in the form of a coil spring 34. This spring is compressed when the thrust member 29 is moved by the cam 21 relative to the movable jaw.

An operating lever 36 has its one end secured to the cam 21. A knob or like hand engaging element 37 (Figure 4) can be attached to its free end. This lever is position is shown in Figure 3, and the clamping position in Figure 4. The portion 38 of the housing 17 may serve as a limiting stop for the release position.

In the clamping position the lever 36 may engage the intermediate part 39 of portion 14.

Operation of my device is as follows: For the raised release position of the lever 36, the jaw 13 is free for sliding movement along the rods 12. The resistance to such sliding movement is relatively slight, and movement can be carried out by a small amount of manual force applied to the knob 37 without moving this knob from its raised release position. When it is desired to clamp a workpiece 41 as in Figure 4, the workpiece is placed against the operating face of the stationary jaw 11, and then by manual force applied to the knob 37, the movable jaw 13 is slid into a position in contact with the work. Thereafter, the operator depresses the lever 36. During the first part of the movement or" this lever, the carrier 23 is tilted to the position shown in Figure 4 whereby the washers 27 are cooked and caused to grip the rods 12. Continued downward movement of the lever 36 is accommodated by compression of the spring 34, with the result that when the lever is fully depressed, the spring 34 has been compressed to a sufiicient degree forward to provide the desired clamping force. The contouring of the cam 21 is such that for the depressed condition of lever 36,

.the carrier 23 to resume its norm-a1 position shown in Figure 3, with the result that the washers 27 are again caused to assume positions in which they may slide freely over the rods 12.

In the embodiment of the, invention illustrated in Figures 6-8, the coil spring 34 is omitted, but spring means is inserted between the members 42 and the base. Thus,

' in this instance, members 42 are tubes or pipes and their forward ends are slidably inserted in the opening-s 43 provided in the stationary jaw. The other ends of these tubes are slidably retained within the openings 44 in the base portion 14. Rods 45 extend through the tubes and are attached at their ends to jaw 11 and base portion 14. Coil springs 46 are disposed within the base portion 14, and are compressed when the tubes 42 are moved to the right as viewed in Figure 8.

The embodiment of Figures 6-8 operates in the same manner as the embodiment previously described. When the movable jaw has been positioned in engagement with the workpiece, initial movement of the lever 36 causes tilting of the carrier 23 with cocking of the washers 27.

Thereafter, further movement of the lever 36 serves to compress the springs 46, thereby providing a predetermined amount of clamping pressure against the workpiece.

I claim:

1. In a vise construction, a rigid base, a stationary clamping jaw secured to one end portion of the base, a raised portion at the other end of the base, a pair of parallel guide rods having their ends secured to the stationary jaw and to said portion, a movable jaw slidably carried by said guide rods, a cam, an operating lever having its one end attached to said cam and movable between release and clamping positions, a carrier loosely engaging the guide rods and tiltable about that portion of the same'remote from the stationary jaw, means including a shaft extendjaw against the thrust surface means whereby the carrier is normally retained in a position in which it retains the grip washers normal to the guide rods, the axis of the pivot shaft for the cam being offset from the guide rods whereby force is applied tending to cock thecarrier when the cam is rotated by manual force applied to the lever to move thelever from release to clamping positions, final movement of the lever to the clamping position serving to compress said last named spring means to provide predetermined clamping force against a workpiece disposed between the jaws.

2. A vise as in claim 1 in which said second named spring means also serves normally to retain'said lever in the release position of the same.

3. In a vise construction, a rigid base, a stationary clamping jaw secured to the base, a pair of parallel guide rods on the base, a movable jaw slidably carried by said guide rods for movement toward or away from the stationary jaw, an operating lever movable between release and clamping positions, a cam secured to one end of the lever, a carrier loosely engaging the guide rods, means forming a pivotal connection between the cam and said carrier, the axis of said pivotal connection being at right angles to the axis of said guide rods, metal grip washers carried by the rods and adapted to be positioned either normal to the rods for movement along the same or in cocked positions for gripping the rods, means on the movable javv forming athrust surface for engaging the cam, and spring means for urging the washers against that end of the carrier remote from the stationary jaw, said spring means likewise urging said carrier toward said thrust suring at right angles to the guide rods forming a pivotal connection between the carrier and the cannmetal grip washers carried by the rods and adapted to be positioned either normal to the rods for movement along the same or in cocked position for gripping the rods, spring means for urging the washers against that end of the carrier remote from the stationary jaw, means movably carried by the movable jaw forming a thrust surface adapted to be engaged by both the carrier and the cam, spring means interposed between said thrust surface means and the movable jaw, said first mentioned spring means likewise serving to urge that end of the carrier nearest the stationary face, the grip washers for such abutting position being normal to the rods, movement tof said lever to clamping position of the same serving to tilt the carrier to cock the washers and to cam the movable jaw into clamping relation with a workpiece inserted between the jaws.

4. A vise as in claim 3 in which additional yieldable means serves to accommodate rotation of the cam after gripping engagement of the Washers with the rods and without corresponding movement of the movable jaw.

5. A vise as in claim 4 in which said yieldable means is inserted between the means forming 'a thrust surface for the cam, and the movable jaw.

6. A device as in claim 4 in which said yieldable means is inserted between the guide rods and the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,650,565 Alexander Nov. 22, 1927 2,415,303 Moore Feb. 4, 1947 2,467,600 Shipley Apr. 19, 1949 2,612,805 Heinrich Oct. 7, 1952 2,735,323 Phillips Feb. 21, 1956 

